Vehicle hitch



June 19, 1945. C, R B'lNGHAM 2,378,460

' l VEHICLE HITCH Filed Feb. 10, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 19, 1945. c.R. VBINGHAM VEHICL'HITCH Filed Feb. 10, 1944 2 sheets-sheet y2 PatentedJune 19, 1945 n j UNI''ED;v STATES PATENT OFFICE A y l yVEHICLE HITCH vCharles Russell Bingham, Davenport, Iowa Application-February 10, 1944,Serial No. 522,191 10011111115. (o1,v 28o-331.44)

My invention relates to vehicle bitches of the class describedfinco-pending application Serial No. 459,878, now Patent No. 2,350,579,issued June The .objectsof my invention are to provide a simplified formof hitch which will accomplish the samepurposes as the hitch theredescribed, with the additional advantagev of having the point ofattachment of the trailer Ato the rear axle of .the tractor locatedclose to thevrear axle of the tractor ,and thus avoid a large part ofthe side draft or lateral pull which isfexerted upon the :rear axle ofthe tractor when the point of Vattachment of the trailer is located at asubstantial disY tance behind the rear axle of the tractor; also toprovide a hitch v which will permit the tractor to turn so as to travelin adirection at right angles to the line of travel of the trailer as itreaches the turning point.

I 'accomplish these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of the rear .axle of atractor with my hitch attached thereto; y

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; l

Figure 3 is a plan View `of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 with thetractor turned at an angle of ninety degrees;

Figure 4 is a planview offan' alternate form for the front end Gf thetongue Off'a trauer and its front end arranged to receive and reinforceits connection to the U-bars;

Figure 5 is' a cross-sectional detail on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

My apparatus is designed to hitch a plow, disc harrow, seeder, or otheragricultural implement or a trailer vehicle to the rear axle of asuitable tractor. spaced yoke-bars 4-4.I rigidlyA united to the rearaxle I of a tractor by bolts 23 and blocks 21 or any other suitablemeans. f

To the yoke-bars 4-4.I I unite a pair of spaced U-bars 5-5.I whichextendV to the rear a Alittlefarther than the rear wheels of thetractor. Bolts I7 o'r other suitable'means may be used to secure theyokes andy U-bars together and a plurality of spaced bores or openings22 are formed in the yoke-bars so as to,y permit lateral adjustment ofthe U-bars thereon.

A pivot bolt 6 is mounted at the middle of the yoke-bars by which thefront end of a drawbar 8 is ipivotally Vattached to the `yoke-bars.` Therear end of the drawbar 8 is pvotally` united to the tongue 9 of thetrailer by'a pivot bolt I 0 spaced a predetermined distance to vtherearof the front end of' the tongue 9 It consistsof a yoke-bar or a, pair ofi A supporting rectangular yoke or bracket II .is pivotally mounted tothe'middle of the rear of the U-bars 5-5.I through which the front endof the tongue 9 is passed and in which it is freely movablelongitudinally. The drawbar 8, the front end of the tongue 9, and theyoke II are so positioned and spaced that the drawbar may swinglaterally upon its pivot. 6 to an angle approximately Without the frontend of the tongue 9 becoming disengaged from the yoke II.

The yoke II is pivotally mounted between the vU-bars so as toturn freelyas the-tractor changes its direction. It may be pivoted to the U-bars bystud-bolts I2-I2.I or any other suitable means.- j

In Figure 4 have shown an alternate form of l slidably connecting thetongue to the rear of the U-bars in which the' front end of the tongue 9is provided with a vertical, longitudinal slot 24 whereby it may slideforwardly or backwardly on a bolt 25 rigidly secured to the U-bars as inFigure 4.

" `When so arranged, the slot 24 may be provided with a metal liner 9.2to prevent wear and the tongue 9 may bev strengthened by a transversebolt 26 at its forward end;r k

In order to strengthen the attachment of the draw-bar 8 to the tongueS,a metal bracket I3 may be bolted to the tongue by a bolt I4 and 'havethe lower end of thepivot bolt I0. v

A Aspacer I3.I may be mounted upon the bolt I0 between the bracket I3and thetongue 9 to keep the drawbar 8 clear of theU-bar 5.I. v v

In making and assembling my hitch, vsumcient play should be providebetween the tongue and the U-bars or brackets to accommodate the.ordinary unevenness of plowed elds or highways.

In the operation of my hitch, the front end-of the tongue of a vehiclewill be inserted between ative to its previous position, which anglewill'be determined by the extentto which the tractor is turned andvv thetractor maybe turned to any ex-` tentvup to a right angle from thedirectionit was previously traveling, without the tonguecoming incontact with the rear wheels as shown in Fig. 3.

As the tractor is turned, the tongue 9 will move longitudinally to therear relative to the yoke I i or its pivot bolt 25, but cannot exert anylateral pull upon the U-bars. Thus this hitch will reduce the side pulland avoid the leverage which arises when the tongue is attached in sucha way asto producea lateral drag or side draft upon any flxedstructureextendingbehind the rear wheels.' Myhitch may be built with a singleyoke or a single U-bar, but the use of a pair of spaced yoke-bars andU-bars will .afford greaterv strength and rigidity for a given Weight.

For convenience of reference, I refer to the bars 4 and 4J as transversebars or'hitchhar's andV t'o the bar 8 as a drawbar andito` the barsV 5`and 5.|- as U-bars. A

The material, size and proportions of the various partsof myhitch 4maybevaried to suit the requirementsv of different cases without depart,-ing' from the spirit 'of my invention and I do not limit myclaimsto theprecise forms'shown in the drawings 'which are to be regardedy asillustrative rather than limiting the apparatus to the precise formsillustrated. f `Iclai`m: I

l. A tractor-trailer hitch comprising a hitchbar rigidly-united to therear axle of the tractor parallelv with and close to the rear axle, aU-bar with itsk arms mounted upon the hitch-bar and extendingrearwardlytherefrom, a yoke pivotally united tothe middlefportion of the U-barftoadjustably receive and guide the front end of the tongue of the trailerarranged to slide longitudinally in the yoke, and a drawbar having itsfront end'pivotally united to the hitch-bar and its rear end pivotallyunited to the tongue of the trailer at av point spaced? to the rearofthe end of the tongue. 2. A, tractoretrailer hitch comprising ahitchbar rigidly united to the rear axle of the tractor parallel withand close to the rear axle, a U-bar with its arms mounted upon thehitch-bar and extending rearwardlytherefrom, a yoke pivotally united tothe middle portion of the U.bar to adjustably receive and guidethefrontv end of the tongue of the trailer arranged to slide-longitudinallyin the yoke, and a drawbar having'its front end pivotally united to thehitch-bar and its rear end pivotally -united tothe tongue of the trailerat a point spacedtor the rear of the end of the tongue, all soproportioned and arranged that the, tractor may loe-.turned to eitherright or left .at a right angle to its previous line of travelwithoutcausing the tongue to contact the rear. wheelsof the tractor.`

. 3. A tractor-trailer hitch comprising a pair ofv spaced transverserbars rigidly united to the rear axle of the tractorparallel with andclose to the rear axle, a pair of U-bars with their arms mounted uponthe transverse bars and extending rearwardly therefrom, a yoke,pivotally united to the middle portion of. theLU-barstoadjustablyreceive and guide the frontend of the tongue. of the trailer arrangedto., slideflongitudinally in the yoke, a drawbar having itsjfront end`pivotally united to the transversel bar, and its rear end pivotallyunited to the tongue of thetrailer at 'causing the tonguetocontact'therear Wheels.

ofthe tractor;

4. A tractor-trailer hitch comprising a pair of spaced transverse barsrigidly united to the rear axle of the tractor parallel with and closeto the rear axle, a pair of U-bars with their arms.

mounted upon the transverse bars, and extending rearwardly therefrom, ayoke pivotally united to the middle portion of the U-bars to adjustablyreceive and guide the front end of the tongue of vthe trailer arrangedto slide longitudinally in the yoke, a drawbar having itsfrontfend'pivotally united to the transverse' bar and its rear endpivotally united to the tongue of the trailer at a point spaced to therear of the end of the tongue, soi proportioned and arranged that thetractor may be turned to either right or left at a right angle to itsprevious line of travel without causing, thetongfue tocontact the rearwheels of the tractor and without the tongue exerting side draftupon theU-bars.

5.., A tractor-trailer hitch comprising a transverse bar rigidly unitedto the rear axle of the tractor parallel with and close to the. rearaxle, a U-bar with its arms mounted upon the transvrse bar andextendingV rearwardly therefrom, a yoke pivotally united' t'o the middleportion of the U`bar to adjustably receive and guide the front end ofthetongue ofthe trailer arranged to slide longitudinally in the yoke, adrawbar having its front endipivotally united to the transverse bar andits rear end pivotally united to the tongue of the trailer at apointspaced to the rear of the end of the tongue, so proportioned andarranged that the tractor may be turned to either right or left. ataright, angle to its previous line of travel without causngthe tongue tocontact the rear wheels ofthe tractor and without the tongue exertinglside draft upon the U-bar.

6. In a trailer-tractor hitch, the combination With a hitch-bar rigidlyunited to the rear axle of the tractor parallel With and close to therear axle, of a ll-bar With its. arms mounted upon the hitch-bar andVextending rearwardly therefrom, a yoke pivotally united to the middleportion, of the U-bar to adjustably receive andguide the front end ofthe tongue of the trailer arranged to slide longitudinally in the yoke,and a drawbar having its front end pivotally united' to the hitch-barand its rear end pivotally united to the tongue of the trailer, at apoint spaced. to the rear of the end of the tongue.

'7. `In a trailer-tractor hitch,l the -combination with a pair of spacedtransversehars rigidly united to, the rear axle of the tractor parallelwith and close to the rear axle, of apair of U-loars with their armsmounted upon the transverse bars and extending rearwardly therefrom, ayoke pivotally united to the middle portion of the U- harsY toadjustably receive and guide the front end of the tongue of the. trailerarranged to slide longitudinally in the'yoke, a drawbar having its frontend` pivotally united to the transverse bar and` its. rear end pivotallyunited to the tongue of the trailer at. a point spaced to the, rear ofthe end of the. tongue,l so proportioned and arrangedA thatthe tractormay be turned to either 4right or left at a right angle to its previousline of travel without causing the tongue to contact the rear. wheels ofthe tractor.

8. Al tractor-trailer hitch. comprising a hitchbar rigidly unitedto, therearv axle of' they tractor parallel with and close to. the rearv axle,a U-bar with its armsv adjustably mounted upon the hitch-bar and.extending rearwardly therefrom, a yoke pivotally unitedto,themiddleportion of. the U-bar to adjustably receive and guide the frontend of the tongue of the trailer arranged to slide longitudinally in theyoke, and a drawbar having its front end pivotally united to thehitch-bar and its rear end pivotally united to the tongue of the trailerat a point spaced to the rear of the.

united to the middle portion of the U-bars toV adjustably receive andguide the front end of the tongue of the trailer arranged to slidelongiv tudinally in the yoke, a draWbar having its front end pivotallyunited to the transversebar and its rear end pivotally united to thetongue of the trailer at a point spaced to the rear of the end of thetongue, so proportioned and arranged that the tractor maybe turned toeither right or left at'a right angle to its previous line of travelWithout causing the tongue to contact the rear Wheels of the tractor.

l0. In a trailer-tractor hitch, the combination with a hitch-bar rigidlyunited to the rear axle of the tractor parallel with and close to therear axle, of a U-barwith its arms adjustably mounted upon the hitch-barand extending rearwardly therefrom, a yoke pivotally united to themiddle portion of the U-har to adjustably receive and guide the frontend of the tongue of the trailer arranged to`slide longitudinally in theyoke, and a drawbar having its front end pivotally united to thehitch-bar and its rear end pivotally united to the tongue of the trailerat a point spaced to the rear of the end of the tongue.

' CHARLES RUSSELL BINGHAM.

